Tail gate latch



Oct. 27, 1931.

G. F. BEgKER 1,828,797

TAIL GATE LATCH Filed April 19. 1928 i 5' ll VENTOI? i; 690/9 6 [flea/ er l g 1 7 AT TORNEY Patented Get. 27, 1931 GEORGE E'BECKER, OF ALBANY, YORK rarair TAIL earn nearer:

Application filed April 19,

lowered about a hinge atthe bottom, and in 39 other cases raised about a lnnge at the top.

Where the truck is used for hauling stone, gravel and the like it is usual to providesome means whereby the front end of thebody may be raised and when in this position the lower edge of thegate unlatched so that it will swing open and permit the contents of thetruck to slide out. I

Many motor trucks now in use have sides which may be removed thereby forming what is desirable that there should be nothing projecting above the plane of the platform. It

is also highly desirable that any latch or hinge for the tail gate should be wholly independent of the removable sides so that it is unnecessary to dismantle the latching mechanism when the 7 sides are removed.

There are many kinds of tail gate latches, most of which, so far as I am aware, have elements attached to the removable sides of the truck, and in many instances when. the sides and tail gate are removed, some of the latch mechanism projects above the level of the truck platform making it impossible to slide anything on or off the platform without lifting over the projections.

My invention contemplates the elimination of these difiicnlties by providing a latching mechanism which is substantially independent of the removable sides, and the objects of my invention are as follows: to provide a combined hinge and latch for the lower edge of a truck tail gateyto provide such a com- 7 bined hinge and latch as will be wholly in dependent of the removable sides of the truck;

to provide a latch which will have a minimum of movement to effect the locking and unlocklng thereof; to provide means for operating the latch form a point. near the front of the 'trucl-z, and to combine with" this means a is called a platform truck. In such a case it latched at the bottom by my device 1923; Serial Naif/1,288.

means for positively locking the tailgate in closed position; to provide a latch all parts of which will lie below theplane of the truck platform and to provide a latch of extremely simple character which may be cheaply manufactured and applied 'tosubstantia-lly any truck. 7 With these objects in View my invention includes the novel elementsfan'd the combination and arrangements of elements described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in whichv V 'Fig. 1 .is a fragmentary side view ofthe rear end of a truck;' f f: p s

2 is an enlarged side view of my latch; Bis a plan view of Fig.2; and j {l isa rear elevation view of'the latch. Referring to the drawings, '1' represents the platform ofa truck which is supported upon. the transverse members, 2, which in turnare supported by the longitudinal members, v 4 represents aremovable side of the truck which is secured to the platform byflmeans of the posts, 5, extending downwardly through openingsprovided'in the truck pl atform. 6 represents generally 'the tail gate which is';l'1i11gedly connected as at 7 ,1 to a metal strap, 8, attached to each side of-the truck body; In addition to. being hinged at the top, the tail gate is also hinged and which will be now explained in detail.

My. combined latch and hinge comprises an element, 9, having angularly disposed portions, 10 and '11, respectively, which are adapted to embrace the lower rear edge of the truck platform. The portion, 11, has the spaced' m embers, 13 and 14, projecting outwardly therefrom and which are provided. with the similarrecesses, 15, adapted to re-f 90 ceive the hinge pin, 16, attached to the tail gate of the truck. The portion, 10, is provided with openings, 17, for the reception of bolts whereby thedevice be boltedtof the lower} side of the truck platform, n Between the 'spaced'members, 13*and14, and belowthe recesses, 15, an'opening, '18,". is provided in the element, 9, and "slidably mounted in this opening is the hook "element, 0 19. This element is adapted to be moved toward and away from the recesses, 15, as will appear from examination of Figs. 1 and 2. The front portion of the hook element, 19, (that is, the portion which is nearest the front of the truck) is tapered in a vertical plane so that when moved outwardly to the position, 19, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it will drop down slightly as shown. The purpose of this taper is to lessen the distance which the element, 19, must be moved in order to provide clearance for the pin, 16, when the gate swings to the position, 6, as shown in Fig. 1.

The front end of thehook element, 19, is provided with an opening, 20,and this end of the hook is embraced by a clevis, 21, connected thereto by means of the pin, 22, extendingthrough the opening, 20, in the hook. This clevis is connected to the operating rod, 23, which extends longitudinally beneath theplatform of the truck to some point such as, 24, where it is attached to the operat ing handle, 25. The operating handle, 25, is pivotally connected, as at :26, .to the bottom of the truck and the rod, 23, is pivotally connected to the operating handle at the point, 24.

\Vhen the operating handle is in the position shown at, 25, the movement-of the portion,'27, thereof is limited by contact with the bottom of the truck .platformand inasmuch as the pull upon the rod, .23, is then above the pivotal connection, 26, the hook element is positively vlockedagainstthe hinge pin. hen the handle .is-moved down .to the position, 25, thero'd, 23, assuinestheposition, '3'. andihe hook, 19,,moves outwardly and downwardly to the position, 19', thus releasing its engagementwith the hinge pin, 16,

and permitting the .tail gate to swing out wardly to the position, 6'.

Fromthe foregoing it =will be obvious that the sides, 4, of-thetruck body, and the tail gate, 6, may be removed without dismantling the latching mechanism, and that no part ofthe latching "mechanism will project above the level of the platform, 1. In other words, with my device it is possible to remove the sides of the truck and the .tail gate leaving a perfectly smooth platform on the truck.

It is to be understood that each truck is provided with two latches, one at each end of the tail 'ate, and while I haveshown only one side of the truck it will be understood that the handle, 25, is rigidly connected to a shaft, 26, which operates a rod, 23, on the opposite side of the truck.

While I havedescribed any-invention in its preferred embodiment it :is to be unden stood that :the words which I :have :used are words of description rather than of limitation and that changes within the purview of the appendedclaim maybemade without GEORGE F. BECKER 

